I was hanging out with a guy named Santino outside an old theatre in New York City. Santino was the brains behind the Nooma project that Rob Bell did with Zondervan. He took Rob’s messages and shot them creatively and consciously and put them out for the world to consume.

He said to me that day in New York, “Josh, this Honest to God stuff is too good not to use in short film format.” He went to explain that we should do weekly short videos that were honest and Biblical so that a person could watch them quickly on their commute to work, or on a break, or between classes, and hear the Honest to God truth on the front lines of their life.

So now, nearly 5 years later, with the help of Moody Publishers, we are starting to short films under the umbrella of Honest to God that will be accessible to people every week all over the world. We’ve teamed with RareSky media to shoot these weekly approximately 88 second long videos. We are starting slow and simple, but hoping they will only get better with time.

Here is the first video we released yesterday:

So here is the deal, we are going to make this content pre-released to an exclusive audience one week prior to it being released publicly. The only way to get it is to be signed up to receive it via email. I will be using a service called BombBomb that actually delivers the video right to your email (and in most email applications, you can play it right there). Then, as you feel led, you can easily pass it on to others that you think may need to hear that message.

So if you are not yet signed up for the feed from this blog, please sign up below. Not only will you get the weekly email, but you will receive the blog post from this site right in your inbox 2-3 times a week!

And as always, email me if you have any questions (or if you’d only like to receive the videos). I love hearing from my readers!

But when I bring those same shortfalls to Him in honest and open confession—what happens? Insults and scolding? Hardly! Like the dad in the story of the prodigal son, my Father orders a feast in my honor, runs to meet me with princely robes and a ring of belonging. Seeing God’s gladness at the prospect of reconciliation with me, my self-recrimination vanishes like shadows when I turn on a light—and his joy becomes my own.

My Mom is so special to me, and being so close to Mother’s day, I want to tell you about her and the things that she has taught me.

The first thing I have learned from my mom’s example is that moms have a hard job and a high calling. A recent survey found that during an average housewife’s lifetime she cooks 35,000 meals, makes from 10,000 to 40,000 beds, vacuums a rug a mile long and a tenth of a mile wide and cleans 7,000 sinks and toilets. In addition to these never ending tasks, a mom is usually the one to emotionally cultivate their child’s heart and impart daily wisdom into their life.

Chuck Swindoll presents that the influence of a mother can be best seen in Proverbs 24 verses 3-4:

By wisdom a house is built,

and by understanding it is established;

by knowledge the rooms are filled

with all precious and pleasant riches.

 Swindoll explains that a mom provides wisdom for her Children by “helping them view life with godly decrement.” So many times I’ve gone to mom to ask for advice on work, school, relationships, or spiritual matters. Many times over coffee at our favorite shop, she has imparted truth into my specific life situation. It’s like what Proverbs says in chapter 31:

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue (italics added).

Next, Swindoll identifies that “understanding” in chapter 24 is a mom’s skill of responding with godly insight. There have been many times when I have been a blubbering idiot or an angry devil and my mom has had to cut to my core with a godly stable answer.

He also explains that a mom must impart knowledge to her kids. “Knowledge is the rare trait of going beyond the facts to perceiving, discovering and growing together in Christ.” Sometimes all I can see is the facts and I just get wrapped up in the emotions of the moment. My mom has a duty and a gift of being able to see the light of truth and help me grow in the knowledge of the same.

Finally, when Proverbs 24 says that the “Rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches” Swindoll explains that these could be metaphorically understood as a “Rich heritage of godly character traits, deep relationship and lasting memories.” My magnificent mom has truly imparted wisdom, understanding and knowledge into my life and given me a rich heritage.

Moms, be encouraged-us kids need you! We don’t expect you to be perfect; we just need you to be there – a present part of our lives.

Lets not forget to tell our mom how much she means to us this week. Bless her by telling her that you love her and appreciate her. Write it in a card or an email. Call her or text her. Do what ever is necessary to make sure she knows that she has continually impacted your life.

Mom, I love you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for pointing me to Christ. You’ve taught me what to look for in a wife, and you have given me a great example of what it means to be a godly parent. Proverbs 31:29 is for you mom. I Love you, happy Mother’s day.

His lies have confused and confounded us into believing all sorts of baloney about ourselves and God: that we must earn our way into His grace; that our Father is angry, vengeful, and grudging with his blessing and acceptance; that we are forever stained and unworthy to enter His presence (even under the covering of Christ’s blood).

The day we overcome our reluctance to be open and honest with God is a day of joyful liberation. It is when, like exhausted shepherds on a lonely hillside after the angel’s announcement, we receive the best news of our lives: God is with us—period. Rejoice!

There are often things that gnaw at our soul, but we don’t realize it or want to admit it. Sadly, these things erode our inner-self. The busyness of life, along with our concoctions of self-denial, keep us from stopping the subtle destruction. If we were honest, we have many many destructive secret thoughts… but we don’t want to be honest… with God… or anyone, for that matter.

Grudges, shame, unforgiveness, and guilt are feelings we care for like a sweet little house pet. We would rather keep those feelings than let them be replace with truth, reality, or God’s glory. 

Think of it like this – have you ever had a mouse in your pantry? If so, you know that they keenly find something they can chew through and they begin to make a nice little hole in the bag or box. Seemingly without much effort, they find their way into a yummy bag of Dorito’s or a box of Captain Crunch so they may eat their fill. You may hear the crunching or see evidence on their uninvited entrance, but unless you insist on stopping it, they will continue to help themselves to your groceries until they are found. If you ignore them your grocery bill will inevitably grow and you may begin to think you have poppy seeds in nearly every dry food you buy. There are really only these two options: you could go on an enjoy their company OR resolve to rid your home of them by searching them out to the death.

So what are the rodents of your life that need to be removed through repentance? What are you holding against someone because you like the company of your bitter feelings more than the other person’s companionship that could come through reconciliation? What is that thing that is keeping you from praying because you love that thing more than God? 

It is time to get it out. You must be honest, but not just for the sake of honesty. By getting it out you will start down the road of transformation that can come to those who allow God to work through their honesty.

In hopes to help you begin the road of authenticity with the Almighty, we’ve added a new potion to our website at www.HonestToGod.net where you can get those things out. Come join others as we dismantle our doubts and are honest with God for the sake of transformation. Post your message to God now.

I just returned from a wonderful week of ministry in Japan. This morning (or should I say, yesterday morning?), my dad and I stood outside the apartment where we were stay and watched the rain fall. We recounted the hand of God moving this week and all the great people we met. Here are a few of our highlights:

• We were able to see more that 25 people come to know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior
• We got to know the staff missionaries for Cadence who are serving so faithfully in Okinawa
• We were able to have some great father and son time… there is nothing like doing ministry with your Dad (a small taste of how Jesus must feel)
• We made many new friends who are going to be used greatly by God to reach their families and the places they are planted in  Okinawa and around the world
• We saw fathers and mothers rediscover their calling to lead and love their families well
• Our hearts were open to what God is doing in Okinawa in a way they weren’t before because we were able to experience ministry there firsthand

Though we will miss Okinawa and our friends there, we are glad to be home. God is faithful to give rest to those who serve Him in the arms of those who love them.

We are blessed far more than we deserve. Thank you for your prayers.

I remember running the halls of this church when I was just a child. This place has been very influential in my life – not because of the location – because that changes, has changed, and is only of this world – but because of the Christ-centered focus that has remained for this church decades. Sermons, youth groups, boy scouts, and small group experiences have been birthed out of this church ministry and have impacted me to this day. My prayer is that I can help others see the glory of God through a life transformational encounter with Christ and His Word.

Please be praying for Molly and I as we join this amazing team of staff and lay leaders to impact my hometown for Christ.

If you would please, take a moment right where you are and pray for the following:

1. That the “Hearts of the children will be turned to their Father.” Yes, we want them to be connected to the Heavenly father first, but we also long for family relationships to be mended. Pray that the Gospel is clear and that the world of God speaks boldly.

2. Pray for stamina for my dad and me. This is an intense trip with a timezone opposite of ours. Please pray that we keep our energy up and our minds clear.

3. Pray for our families. This is as much their trip as it is ours – they sent us, are living without us for a week, and are praying for us.

To God be the glory! We can’t wait to report what He does here.

Christ is risen… let’s go tell the world!

“Hey man, all I need is to warm up a bit and then I’ll go.” The homeless man said with his arms crossed and shivering.

The owner had already locked the door to the coffee shop and was halfway to his car before hearing that small voice inside, “Just let him in for a minute, dinner can wait.”

The man sat only for a few minutes, but while he did he  told stories about his family, friends and his job- all things that he had recently lost. The man was bitter and misplaced. He blamed everyone else for his desperate situation.

Offering the man a cup of coffee, the shop owner was able to spend some time talking with him and challenged him to forgive the people in his life that he felt wronged him. He also simply shared the love of Christ and showed the man stories in the Bible where God was able to take lives of poverty and use them to do great things.

Given a few dollars, the homeless man left the coffee shop that night unwilling to submit his life to God.

Almost two years passed and the coffee shop owner was again shutting down for the night. A last minute phone call surprised him. But it was the caller on the other end that surprised him even more. The voice explained how the owner helped him on a rainy night a few years before and had openly shared Jesus. The once homeless man was now living for Christ and operated a street ministry in a different town. The ministry was called “A Second Glance.”

This story is a good reminder to us to consciously be aware of those around us and be willing to give them a second glance to someone we might normally ignore. During His ministry, Jesus Himself was skilled at “seeing the unseen.” These were the moments that He was most glorified. These were the moments that He was able to effectively bring about change in another.

It is found in the moments when we hear that quiet voice asking us to act, asking us to turn around and help, that we can truly be used of God. Sometimes our testimony of the hope within us is most powerful, when we simply bother to take a second glance.

I’m under the firm belief that if we would just be people who are completely transparent with God, we’d experience true transformation. Yet too many times we hold our cards close to our vest – even with God. We act as if He doesn’t know it unless we say it or pray it. But God knows everything… so who do we think we are foolishly thinking that we can live certain areas of our life without His involvement or even knowledge of them?

The fathers of the reformation commonly used the phrase “Coram Deo” in reference to how we should live.

Coram Deo literally means “before the face of God”. It carries the notion of our living in the presence of God, under the authority of God, and to the honor and glory of God. It is what each person was designed for by their Creator. Yet even those of us that have put our faith in Christ are too quick to forget that we are living “before the face of God.”

The thought of God seeing all and knowing all could be comforting or downright terrifying. But either way, the fact that He sees all is true whether we live like it or not.

This reminds me of the story of Hagar in Genesis chapter 13. This maidservant tried to get away from her boss Sarai, Abram’s wife, so she fled to the dessert. There in the place where she thought no one would find her, God showed up! He instructed her to stop sulking by the spring and return to her mistress because he had great plan for her. Can you imagine how shocked she must have been to be visited by God in the place she thought she’d never be found? In the end she said, “You are the God who sees me” for she said, “I have now seen the one who sees me.”

So remember – God sees you! We cannot hide. Be Honest with Him and allow Him to transform you by speaking into you the areas you need him the most. Like Hager, return to the Lord and return to life!